I Saw The Ocean
by Aeropause
Summary: As Danny Fenton enters his final year of high school and looks ahead to college, family bonds are tested, friendships are stretched to the breaking point, and Danny may find love in the most unlikely of places.
1. I Saw The Ocean

I Saw the Ocean

It was then, there, at that moment that Daniel Fenton knew that he would make a terrible bureaucrat. With a heavy sigh he continued to slowly twirl around in high rise padded office chair, the creaks and squeaks echoing through the halls of Amity Public Library.

"Why in the hell am I still here?..." He pondered, resting his head in his hands. "Nobody ever comes here after eight." With a hearty sigh he kicked off his loose fitting sandals and left his post at the front counter. He trotted lightly as his bare feet slapped against the smooth tile floors, reverberating through the open hall. Daniel's pace slowed as he arrived at the rotunda, a grand sprawling open room, dotted with open tables and computers. The area often served as an open forum where students from the local high school would gather to cheat on their homework, yet this summer, like all before it left the rotunda empty.

Along the edges of the hall was a clear area meant for more casual gatherings. Large, mocha coloured padded chairs sat in three groups of four. Normally, this section of the library, a small nook situated against the backdrop of the single stone staircase above the reference desk leading to the second floor and the vending machines created a small oasis, prime real estate for teens looking for a secluded place to unwind from the horrors of high school. However, today, it too was a ghost town.

Daniel slowly made his way to the soda machine with change he had "borrowed" from the register and purchased a diet cola. "It all goes to the same place." He thought of the money. He slumped down in the closest chair, using leverage he let himself get lost in the comfort of the feathers. Slowly, he opened the bottle, letting the crisp liquid flood his mouth.

"I guess this isn't soooo bad." He said with a hint of sarcasm. "Free soda, little work, free wifi, no customers, this is the life." The allure of boredom quickly wore thin, as Danny found himself fidgeting around in the chair, his brain's signal that attention, rather distraction was in order.

Danny retrieved his phone from his pocket, like most his age, his prized possession. Sliding his legs over the arms of the chair, Danny made himself comfortable as he turned on his devise. After checking all his normal social sites, he was sure then that absolutely nothing in the world was happening. Grabbing his soda and phone, Danny made his way around the building, prepping everything for an early close.

Upstairs in the library was a different world from the bright lights and comfy chairs of the first floor. Up here, there was little in the way of furniture. Only a few modest wooden desks, with equally primitive chairs dotted the floor. Among the musty old books and tattered tomes, a lone reference computer sat at the back of the hall, elevated away from the main shelves of books. Daniel made his rounds, gathering the few loose books that lay strewn in chairs or on the floor. His hands full, he made his way back down stairs to work out the remaining half hour of his shift.

Still barefoot, Daniel traipsed down the solid stone stairs, back to the front desk. Slipping on his sandals, he finished his remaining duties, closing the registers, turning the lights off in the remaining areas. Slowly the seconds ticked away from his watch, all leading to the magic ten. Using online television to buffer the gap, that time finally arrived. Clocked out, and ready to leave, Danny retrieved his keys and wallet from his assigned locker and made his way out into the dense August air.

Danny had always been a fan of this type of weather. The sky was lit with thousands of other worlds shining down to Earth. The remaining twinge of twilight was beginning to fade under a line of oak trees in the distance. While in the daytime, the library was a cornerstone of the community, while under the guise of darkness, one was reminded of the rural nature of it's location. In three directions around him, Danny could only admire the seeming endless horizon, unspoiled by the intrusive nature of human progress.

Fumbling for his keys, Danny entered his automobile. A modest, but newer model 4 door blue sedan, paid for partly by his parents and partly from his previous summer employment. It was practical, however, it didn't score any points with those who drove new model muscle and exotic cars. He turned the key, bringing the machine to life. The smooth melodic jazz of Illinois public radio filled the air. Danny slowly back away, leaving his work behind and began his trek home.

The wind rushed through the open windows while the haunting tones of a sad horn heavy tune flooded the car. "Way too depressing…" Danny said aloud. He turned the radio off as he allowed his car to come to rest at a freshly turned red light. Habit grabbed hold of the teen as Danny reached in his pocket for his cell phone. To his delight the message indicator light was flashing a welcoming green.

"What are you doing?" It was his older sister, Jazz Fenton.

"Im goin home from work… u? Danny replied, his eyes darting from phone to light at every word. He clenched the phone in his hand as he turned to the adjacent traffic light. He would soon have clearance to pass the intersection. Hearing his signature ring tone, he quickly viewed the message.

"Ice cream? I need to talk to you before I go back to school! I'm downtown… my treat. Its important." Danny stared as his blinding phone, the black text burning in his eyes. He clenched the phone and threw it into the seat beside him as he began to drive to his new destination.

"God damn her!" Danny shouted aloud, slamming his fist against the center of the steering wheel, a brief toot of the horn escaped the hood. "I've made it this whole damn summer just fine! But nooooo, she has to bring this up and be the savior. 'Oh, everybody love Jazz'" Danny began sarcastically. "That's so nice of you to take care of your helpless little brother! Here's more money. Well I'm sick of it! I'm not doing this and I'm not letting her do this to me." Thoughts raced through his head, as he tried to think of a way out of this new situation. He knew, however, that it was in vein, she would accomplish her goal, and in the end, he knew what she was doing was probably, maybe for the best.

Danny lead his car with the utmost care around the tight corners of the small Midwestern town. Subconsciously, he wasn't in any hurry to meet his sister, however, a nagging voice reminded him that the inevitable was looming. Downtown was free of it's normal hustle and bustle of a Thursday night. However, that soon would change… the distance hum of a city bus replaced by the collective roar of two thousand college students crawling from bar to bar. Parking was not an issue, as space was plentiful. He eased his car down the brick road and slowly turned into a stall directly in the front of the building. Through the window he could already see his sister waiting eagerly for her brother to arrive.

Danny slowly stepped out from his auto and locked the door. Fumbling, he put his keys in his pocked and removed his wallet. Pausing, Danny stopped and closed his eyes. Drawing in a deep breath, he filled his lungs. He could already feel his fingertips trembling with nervousness and fear.

"I'm not going to let her run this conversation…" He said aloud, his arms extended, palms wide open, facing the earth. "She's not going to run your life… This is your decision." Danny gathered the rest of his courage and strode into the parlour.

In its own right, Dairy Store Drive was legendary. In the face of constant corporate bombardment and competition, Dairy Store Drive has out performed them all. Jazz Fenton sat in the far south counter of the large establishment, her height hidden in the corner table against a wall adorned with bright local photography and a storefront window. In her age, Jazz had grown to quite a remarkable woman. She had since moved on to college, perusing her passion of pediatric psychiatry. Which, for better or worse kept her full of advice and anecdotes to pass along, much to Danny's chagrin. It appeared though, as appearances change, old habits rooted in for the long haul.

"Hey you!" She called to Danny. Her voice was ripe with an odd, mother like lilt. He figured she hadn't been here long as her bowl was full of her favourite chocolate, brownie sundae. Jazz shot from her chair and rushed to give Danny a long hug. Her long, cornflower hair flowed between them, getting caught in Danny's face like a soft curtain, however, neither paid it any attention. Jazz's grasp calmed Danny, it was different in a way. It lacked it's normal feeling of this being a required greeting. Jazz's hug was comforting, empathic, true.

"How's my Danny been today?" She said cheerfully, suddenly breaking the hold, her hands remaining on his shoulders.

Danny smiled and reached to his side and retrieved his mint, cookie dish that had made for him. He thanked its creator and led Jazz back to their table. Sitting down he took the first bite. The sharp, sting of fresh mind hit him first, it's earthy tones quickly removed by the subtle bitter flavour of fresh baked chocolate, chocolate chip cookies. "I'm great!" he replied, his mouth full. "How's School? How's Arman?"

"School is great! Just gearing up for junior year. I'm finally doing work related to my major, so It's super exciting!.:" She exclaimed, mimicking the tone of a bubbly teenager. "Arman is great. We're really excited for the wedding. Getting things in order, flowers, venue, dresses, suits. I'm sure we'll be asking you for help at some point."

"If you're one of 'those' brides, which I know you will be, then I don't want any part of it." He replied, still enjoying his icy treat.

Jazz smirked and whipped her hair back behind her head. Beginning to dig into her own order which had become softer and warmer with time. She stared across the table at the young man sitting in front of her. Freshly seventeen, Danny's physically characteristics had made themselves more apparent. His body was now more toned and defined, as evident through his tightly fitting sky blue polo shirt. However, even with all of the jogging and weight lifting, he had never lost his baby face, his black hair trimmed short and his smaller than average frame.

"Danny." Jazz said under her breath. She twirled her spoon in a carefully choreographed circle. Danny's eyes remained fixated on the outside world, his attention removed from the situation about to present itself. "You know why I wanted to talk to you right." Danny sighed and turned his head away from the window slightly. His left eye came into view and stared at Jazz with a sense of mercy.

"I…" He started, his head sinking back into his shoulders. " I don't think I'm ready…" Jazz smiled and reached her hand across the table searching for Danny's. He stared at the offer with skepticism. This was not the Jazz he was used to. There had always been days of compassion and camaraderie, however, they like most siblings shared days of betrayal and fighting.

"Do you remember when you came out to me?" She asked. Danny sighed loudly and closed his eyes, his head whipping around to stare back into the evening streets. Indeed Danny did remember the circumstances surrounding the discovery of his second biggest secret.

"… Why are we talking about this." Danny asked.

"Because, Danny." Jazz said in a hauntingly stern tone, her melodic voice seemed to echo with an assertiveness that was still as comforting and pure as a hymn. "I'm going back to school in two weeks, and you're going to leave home soon. I just don't want to see this hurt you anymore."

Danny paused and turned around to stare at the ice cream he had barely touched and didn't really want in the first place. Now, the subject was making his appetite even more scarce. He twirled his spoon around and began to eat.

"Your ice cream is melting, Jazz." He said blankly, doing his best to convey his reluctance to continue this conversation.

"Danny, I'm not dropping this until it's settled."

"What's there to settle?" He replied.

"Danny… you know this is the right thing to do. Our parents love you and are going to support you…" Jazz finally succumbed to the awkward silence. She dipped her spoon into her ice cream and began to eat. "You don't have to worry. We've talked and…" Jazz instantly realized what she had said and hoped it wouldn't get her much further.

"You've what?" Danny asked viciously. "You've what? You've talked to them?"

"Danny no…" she pleaded, arms extended.

"Jazz… Do you remember when I 'came out' to you?" Jazz let off a relived sigh, however still sensing that a fight was brewing.

"I do, Danny." She started. " We were in the living room…"

"Stop!" Danny said angrily. "Let me refresh your memory! It wasn't the living room, it was my room! And it wasn't some grand, keynote, 'I'm a fag, vote for me!' speech. It was you. It was you snooping in my room, on my computer. It was you snooping on my Facebook and email, Jazz."

Jazz sat, silent and heartbroken. She knew the truth, and she knew he was right. Jazz knew it was an accident, and although it was a case of bad judgment, she'd always longed to at least justify the situation. "Danny," She started. My battery was dead, and I needed to check my email for school, I've told you."

"Bull, crap, Jazz!" Danny replied, his voice raising in frustration, drawing the attention of the employee behind the counter.

" You know, you could have not left your internet open on twink gallery dot org, Danny." Jazz said with a smirk.

"And you could have asked me to use my computer, or used that four hundred dollar phone you've been parading around all year!" Danny rose sharply, finishing off the last of this ice cream. He moved around to Jazz's side of the table and knelt down meet the edge of the table. "What do you want Jazz? What's in this for you?" He asked his visibly upset sister.

"I want us to be friends again. I want you and I to be tight like we used to be." Jazz put her hand on Daniel's head, drawing his face to meet hers. "I want this last year of our lives to be that. Last year. I don't want anymore secrets."

Danny stood up and rolled his shoulders, his hands carefully slid into his pockets to retrieve his keys. "This will be resolved by your wedding." He stopped and turned his head. "I'm doing this on my terms, not yours, Jazz."

As he turned around to exit, Jazz made one final gasping plea for a more sudden resolution. "Arman wants you to be his best man." Danny stopped in place and let his arms sink to his sides. Letting out a very audible shrug, he turned to face his sister.

"Arman loves you like a brother, and he wants you to be happy too, like me. Danny, " Jazz stood to grab her brother's shoulders. "Danny, you're eighteen. You're great looking, and you're a senior in high school. You're going to want to date. There's going to be someone that you want to bring home for a night to meet the family and play some boring board game where mom and dad drink too much and start giving raunchy answers to the trivia questions. I don't want you to have to slink around and lie to people just to go out to dinner with someone." Jazz leaned forward and gave Danny a hug, a gesture that had been absent in their lives for too long. At that moment, Danny's heart shifted, the year of anger he felt towards her had melted like the food they just enjoyed. Danny returned the hug, happy to know that he again was someone's younger brother.


	2. Closet Case

I Saw The Ocean

Ever since he was old enough to appreciate it, Danny knew that the worst part of growing up would mean leaving behind his beautiful home. Even under the shroud of darkness, it seemed to tower over the other buildings around it. The change of scenery from the rough center of town, to the quaint, almost rugged suburbs added to the plantation-esque setting.

Danny slowly pulled his car around the cul-de-sac and eased to a stop in front of his property. While most of the windows facing him remained dark, there stood one exception. The large, curtained bay windows of the living room sat illuminated as a welcoming beacon seeming to guide a lost soul home. Danny shrugged hard as he quietly shut the door to his car.

"Jazz isn't here?" He asked aloud as he crept through the freshly cut front lawn. To the adults in the Fenton family, being business owners meant that appearances were everything. While Fenton Works now stood as its own building, the Fenton home was it's younger cousin, a reflection of the family out side of their life at work. The grass was always kept trimmed and weed free. The garden reflected the same level of care, with various exotic flowers and shrubs lining the sides of the house, as well as the back yard.

The house itself was a testament to all that Fenton Works had accomplished over the years. The Fenton's two story ranch style home was what the American Dream used to be made of. The powder blue window shutters adorning the second story shutters melted seamlessly into the white siding. A decorative fence sat along the edge of the driveway and along the front of the house against the sidewalk. A two stall garage connected to the property, a shelter Danny's modest car only enjoyed once, when his parents were out of town on business. Leading to the house was a flat concrete slab leading to a large decorative glass door. Danny reached into his pockets and reached for his keys.

"Maybe they just left the lights on for me?" Danny reasoned, however, once he opened the door he was greeted by the roaring sound of his father's favourite sports recap programe. Danny sighed and stepped into the landing of the home. He set his keys on a small raised table next to the door, sneaking a handful of chocolate candies from a crystal dish on the table. He slowly kicked his shoes off as he weighed his options. He could either go straight ahead and hope no one sees him and head for the basement. There he could unwind and watch television and sleep on the couch in the den, or he could go up the short flight of stairs and face his fears.

"Danny?" A warm, almost timid voice called to him from above in the living room. Danny's heart fell into his stomach as a wave of nausea hit him. Danny closed his eyes and swallowed, his mouth feeling as though it were full of cotton.

"Yes, Mom?" he replied, his voice quivering with nervousness. Suddenly, the boisterousness and forced humour he was so familiar with from the television show feld the room. Silence reigned as an awkward blanket covered the home.

"Can you come up here, please?" She replied. Danny's mind raced ahead of him. The scenario was playing out in front of him. His mother, daughter of a staunch Russian catholic family, would yell and scream. She'd quote the bible and she would probably slap him.

" This is disgusting!" She'd scream. She would blame herself , saying that this whole thing was probably, "Her fault" and start crying. While Jack, the more exocentric of the two would try to calm her down while justifying her anger. He'd get in his face and probably hit him too, but it would hurt a lot more. He could see his giant body bearing down on him like an enraged mother grizzly. He'd raise his hand back, while Danny would stand there, paralyzed in fear. He'd knock him to the ground, and maybe, depending on how many beers he's had get a kick in. Then they'd kick him out on the cold, unforgiving city streets. The wild stories of the internet and cable television worked to craft a tale that left Danny paralyzed with terror.

"Danny!" Jack bellowed, "She said get up here!" Danny slowly began to creep ahead and towards the stairs into the living room

"Jack sounded pissed." Danny thought. His brain attempted to justify this by giving a kernel of hope. "Maybe this has nothing to do with Jazz! Maybe they found that pot in my underwear drawer… Shit… what if they DID find the pot in my underwear drawer" He let a small smirk escape his jaw that a gesture that quickly faded once he laid eyes on his parents.

They both sat on the love seat facing the wall portion of their 7 seat sectional sofa. Maddie Fenton sat stern and attentive, her red hair over her shoulders and down her blue pajama top. Her small, almost fragile frame was quite the comparison. Jack seemed to tower over his wife, and everyone else in the family for that matter. He too, even sitting in his grey pajamas was a stern and intimidating figure. While over the years, work has helped melt away some of the extra weight he carried, it didn't hid the fact that he was still pushing six and a half feet and two hundred and fifty pounds.

"Sit down honey." Maddie said, her voice deep and direct. Danny slunk in front of the now dark television and onto the cream coloured sofa. Like at the Library earlier, the chair was soothing. Even more so as this was a welcome seat, providing some comfort in this moment of stress.

"So…" Maddie started, folding her legs and placing her cupped together hands on top of them. It would seem that, thankfully she would be doing most of the talking. "Danny, I want to ask you something. And be honest. Is there anything that you have done, or are doing that you want to tell us?" Danny let his head sink back into the sofa as he thought to himself.

"Don't cry in front of them, don't cry in front of them…" He repeated those words to himself, almost to the point that he said them aloud.

"No…" He managed. "I haven't done anything, that I know of."

"There's nothing you want to tell us? You're sure?" She asked, more sternly this time. Danny slightly nodded his head and closed his eyes, repeating to himself his words of reassurance. "I think there is, Danny. I can tell you're lying."

Danny's eyes shot wide opened. He contemplated calling her bluff and confessing, but he didn't want to open that can of worms without being able to close it. He could only stare ahead at his mother. During this whole ordeal, Jack, to Danny's surprise sat motionless, almost, confused. He didn't seem privy to the same information that Jazz had no doubt provided to his wife. Jack stared down at his son, the dim yellow light their floor lamp giving an eerie tone to the silent room.

"I'm your mother Danny… you can't lie to me." Maddie said, her haunting compassion moved Danny in a way he hadn't felt in some time. He wasn't sure then as to whether or not he could trust her. He knew she knew, that much he was sure of, Danny just couldn't fit the letters together. Danny knew Maddie would continue to plot and scheme. She would rephrase the question until she had her answer. He could only manage one thought through his head.

"Don't cry."

"Don't cry."

"Don't cry…" This became his battle cry. However, this plea fell on deaf ears. A lone tear escaped Danny's eye and glided cautiously down the side of his smooth, stubble free face. He wiped it away with the hope that it was a lone fluke, however, one by one a follower, making its way down the same moist path carved from the one that preceded it. Danny sniffled as a spicy tingle entered his nose, more tears escaping his once crystal blue eyes. He wiped away the moisture from his face and took a deep, calculated breath.

"Okay…" He started, his voice low and muffled from tears. " You know what's going on, so just go ahead and say what you need to." Maddie and Jack both turned to each other, both with vastly different expressions on their faces. Maddie showed one of compassion and relief, while Jack's was blank with uncertainty. He stared back to his son, who still sat ridged and proud, even through obvious turmoil. Jack cleared his throat, even a common sound effect ended up becoming a boom that echoed through the room.

"Umm, " he started. "I just want to say that I don't really know what you're talking about Danny."

Danny rolled his eyes and let out a soft moan. "Pfft, Bullshit, Dad! You know damn well what this is about!"

"Danny!" Maddie corrected in her typical maternal tone.

"Well, what then?" He said in an elevated tone. "I come home and you both sit there and start sandbagging me until I start talking. Well just sit there, then. I don't care anymore, do what you want!"

"Danny, nobodies doing anything except caring about you. You're our son, no matter what." Maddie forced herself from her seat and gently sat next to her child, wrapping her long, slender arms around him and pulling him close to her chest. Initially, Danny resisted, trying to pull away and lean closer to Jack, however, he gave in and allowed himself to be brought in. Even in his older age, he was soothed, comforted as Maddie ran her hand through her Son's hair.

"Danny you say what you need to whenever you're ready," Maddie whispered. She turned her head towards Jack for some sort of advise. Jack only shrugged his shoulders in confusion. Through Danny's sobs and tears, he managed to let loose an attempt at language.

"You, know." He forced.

"You need to tell us, Danny."

Danny sighed and cleared his throat, his voice still wracked with fear and anguish.

"I'm gay, Mom. I'm gay and you hate me now." Maddie only pulled Danny closer to her body and gave his shoulders a hard, definite squeeze.

"We've never loved you more, Danny. This doesn't change a thing. Ok, you're still our Son, and I've never been prouder of you."

Although he was close to the situation, Jack was still out of the loop, a point proving more and more frustrating as he began to speak. He leaned forward and raised his voice.

"Would somebody mind telling me what in the sweet chocolate Christ is going on?" He shouted, obviously angered. He pointed as he spoke, "You're mumbling and crying like some damn little girl, and you're coddling and holding him like a four year old.

"Jesus Christ, Jack. Watch your mouth." Maddie shouted. "Danny's okay." She said, giving one final pat on the head as she released her grip. "He's going to be just fine, right kiddo?"

"So what was this little song and dance about?"

"Danny's doesn't have to lie anymore."

"Lie about what?"

"He's gay?" Jack's face morphed from a frustrated and confused look, to simple frustration. Jack sat back into his chair as his mouth twisted into a forced half smile. Try as he might, words couldn't escape his lips as the gravity of what he heard sunk in. Danny and Maddie sat motionless, fixated on the thought of what his first words might be.

"What?" He finnaly mustered.

"Danny is a gay man. He likes boys instead of girls." Maddie confirmed. Jack only shook his head in disgust.

"I know what the hell it means, Maddie!" He paused and calculated his words carefully. "When did _this_ happen?"

"I assumed you knew." Maddie asked. Danny turned his head sharply away from Jack and back to his mother.

"You knew the whole time?"

"Well, Danny," She said with a chuckle. "You didn't exactly hide it."

"Well I didn't know!" Jack bellowed.

"Jack, why do you care so much?" Maddie asked "What does it matter when I knew, or when you knew?" Jack stood up sharply, causing Maddie to slink back into the couch out of shock. Jack intimidating body cast a shadow through the room, like a cape it covered the pair in faded light. Jack's voice narrowed as he directed his speech at his beloved wife.

"And you're okay with this?" He said, an angered tone overtook his voice.

"Uhh," Maddie started, her tone now taking an undertone of sarcasm. "You're not okay with this? And what is there to not be okay with, _Jack_?" Maddie was too now standing. Although she stood an entire foot shorter than her husband, her fiery disposition and maternal instincts made her an intimidating force. She stared her husband directly in his eyes. While normally she would find the compassionate, unpredictable, loving man that she fell in love with 19 years ago. Today, at that moment, the man in front of her was a total stranger. Jack leaned into Maddie's face and stared behind her to give his son a bladed stare. Danny shrunk back and broke eye contact.

"I'm not dealing with this now, Maddie." Jack said with a shrug. He backed down from the contest and made his way upstairs to their bedroom. "I'm going to bed before I say something I regret. I'm not okay with this and I'm not okay with Danny right now." Jack crept his way up the long staircase. At the top of the landing, he turned sharply to their master bedroom.

"Don't you dare think you're not sleeping on the couch tonight!" She called as the echo of a slammed door filled the house. Maddie sighed and closed her eyes. She would have had no Idea that Jack would act like this. In fact, this situation was completely opposite with what ran through her mind all night. None of the trial runs that she'd formulated since dinner had included this, and she had no idea how to handle it. All she knew was that she had to be there for her son. Maddie turned to see Danny, eyes still bloodshot and puffy, but his face now showed the signs of a feint smile.

"I'm going to watch tv and then go to bed, Danny." She said as she turned made her way to the basement den.

"Can I join you?" Danny asked quietly. Maddie smiled and extended her hand, helping her son from his seat. As they made their way out of the room, Danny shut the light off as questions still remained.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"You needed to be ready to tell us, Son. I couldn't make that decision for you."

"How… how did you know." Maddie smiled as she gave a light giggle.

"Danny," She said playfully. "You took a vacation day off of work to go see Joan Rivers live when she came to town. You pretty much sealed it then." They shared a laugh as they settled down to let a long night of their favourite comedy shows carry them from this long day into a peaceful slumber.


	3. Day One

I Saw The Ocean

The horrors of an unpredictable summer quickly seemed to fade faster than Danny thought. The respite of a quiet job and the hostilities of his personal life were quickly coming to a welcomed end as an all important day had finally arrived, his final year in a public high school, and it couldn't have come at a more welcomed time. Although matters were beginning to be patched up with his sister, the two hadn't spoken in a few weeks. While his parents, namely his father both claimed to have calmed down over the situation, there stood in the home, a clear rift, an unspoken haze in the home that prevented any meaningful discussions.

Soon that would all change. Summer was over.

Danny gathered the remaining items from his room, he would travel light for this first day. A backpack to carry home all the books and papers he would bring with him. A single ink pen, a single mechanical pencil and spiral notebook went into his thin black and green slingpack, along with a half eaten bag of chocolate candies and a bottle of diet cola from the bundle he kept well stocked beside his bed. Danny stepped over to in front of his bedroom mirror to make a final check of his appearance. Although he was far from a narcissist, he liked what he saw. His slender, muscular body filled out his sky blue polo nicely while the red undershirt he had chosen gave the outfit some depth. Danny's firm thighs and legs filled his dark denim jeans while his abnormally large feet filled his size 13 blue and green argyle shoes.

Reaching in his desk he retrieved a small puck of hair gel and styled his hair to his liking. Although jet black, in the bright flourencent light, the evidence of a hint of plum dye showed in streaks. He ran his hands through and through until the short fauxhawk style he was known for was in place. Danny stood at attention and gave a smirk to himself. Modeling his pack he stood in several poses, each more like a celebrity than the last.

"I should get my ears pierced this year." Danny said aloud, his sky blue eyes refocused as he brought his face closer to the mirror. He ran his hands against his cheek. His soft, slender hands picked up the slightest hint of stubble. Danny made a mental note that he would have to shave before tonight's shower, which wouldn't take place until after his job.

"Or maybe, I should get my tongue pierced, or my lip… how gay would that be? " Danny smirked and took a deep breath. "This is it, I guess" He smiled and turned his light off left his room to face the world that awaited him.

Danny shut the door behind him and walked down the long, skinny hallway that jetted from his quarters. Passing the bathroom and den on his way, he bounded down a single flight of stairs leading into the same, open living room that he had come out in just months earlier. Before heading for the front door, he made his way to the kitchen to retrieve a simple breakfast. As he turned the corner, his mother, who at this point was usually at the office by now, stopped him in his tracks.

Maddie Fenton hovered over the center island of her sacred kitchen clutching a morning cup of coffee, a detached smile ruled her face. Her mood seemed to accentuate the deep burgundy walls of their humble kitchen, which played a soothing companion to the adjoining ivory dominated dining and living rooms. The dark oak cabinets and floor added further elegance to an already above average home while the brass handles and stainless steel appliances cemented the families' social status.

"Good Morning, Danny." Maddie said stately, taking a long sip from her steaming mug . "Its hard to believe this day is finally here. My little man is all grown up. Are you excited?"

"Yes ma'am!" Danny replied cheerfully as he set his pack down against the entrance to join herat the center of the hall. Danny retrieved his phone from his pocket. He still had five minutes before he had was to leave and pick up his friends. "Mind if I pour myself a cup?" He asked.

"There's cream in the fridge." Maddie replied. Danny smiled and searched the cupboard for a mug. He returned to the counter to pour a modest glass of coffee. Striking him first was the aroma, bitter, but not overwhelming and a slight hint of hazelnut, his favourite. The quality of the blend showed most in the silky texture as he poured from the carafe. After completing his drink with a hefty splash of cream and copious amounts of sugar, he strode over to converse with his parents.

"I'm really nervous." Danny said, quickly taking a long sip from his coffee. He set his mug down on the black speckled marble top and reached for a muffin. He peeled the paper away from the pastry and examined it.

"Its pumpkin, and what are you nervous about. "

"It's an excited nervous, really. I'm nervous about my classes and I really don't want to take those entrance tests again." He replied, taking in a large mouthful of the soft pastry.

"Well, I don't think you need to worry about your grades, you haven't disappointed yet"

Danny's eyes raised above the rim of his mug as he stared down the heated porcelain. "I think you may be stretching the truth a little there. " While Maddie seemed unfazed by the statement, she began to show signs of confrontation. Sitting her mug down she placed both palms against the hard granite.

"Oh?" She asked.

"Dad sure seemed disappointed all summer. We never even went to a ballgame or anything." Danny said, whining slightly.

"Your dad just has to have time to adjust." She said, beginning to stand down.

"Adjust to what?" Danny snapped. "To thinking of ways to sweep Daddie's little queer under the carpet so the boys at the office don't have to find out?"

"Oh my God, Danny. Stop being such a goddamned drama queen" Maddie snapped back. Raising her voice was something that she rarely did. In fact, Danny could count the times on one hand. However, this was not a tone he was accustomed too, this was a clear hurt feeling.

"Look. You don't have to turn everything into a battle with us. Whatever it was that made you think we stopped loving you isn't the case. I know that some of us maybe didn't handle you the best a few months ago. I know its going to take some time for both of us to adjust, but we never hated you, and if you don't want to believe that than that's your problem."

Danny finished the last of his muffin and quickly drank the last of his coffee. Taking his cup to the sink he gazed at the microwave and saw that he had stayed a little longer than he intended. Returning to the table and chairs he slung his pack back over his shoulders and turned back to face his mother a final time. She stood as she was when he first entered, hovering over a fancy countertop, contemplating the day. While he was already happy when he woke up, this had stood to put a damper on the day.

"I'm sorry." He finally mustered as he left to face the world.

"Senior lot… finally!" Danny said cheerfully as he steered his car into the exclusive, 200 stall parking lot. Unlike most juniors, Danny played by the rules and never parked his car there, however, being there for the first time seemed to really drive home the fact that he had eight months left in a public primary school. Finding a parking spot wasn't much of a challenge considering Amity's senior class was still many students below 200. Danny pulled his car straightforward into a center stall against a white wooden fence. He pulled his pack from his backseat and retrieved his parking pass he received through the mail. He placed the red sticker on the right corner of his dashboard as he exited his car.

Campus was just as he remembered it. High double steeples on either side towered over the front grassy berm below. There were people everywhere. Freshman, Juniors, teachers, everywhere… on the double wide concrete steps were dozens of girls and boys, shouting as they greeted friends they hadn't seen in months and while others took to the two junior lots to catch up on their summers.

Danny closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Putting on his best smile he began to traipse forward. As he stepped through the sea of bodies, a few of the young women, even those familiar with his orientation turned their heads to admire Danny and his body as he passed by, Danny would only smile and give a slight wag of the finger, only stopping for those truly close to speak. Just as he was about to begin his trek up the short flight of stairs he felt the sudden rumble of his telephone.

"Where r u, buddy?" The message asked. Danny was glad to reply.

"I'm at the berm, where you at?"

"Sam and I are by the track, first classes in the science halls."

"Wait up…" Danny quickly replied as he immediately turned around and began to jog along the narrow path, doing his best to pass others with care. The path snaked along needlessly through the few, old oak and pine trees dotted along the campus until it finally straightened out to run parallel to the main school building, and the school track. Few people spent their time in this secluded run of property, mostly because, while secluded in a few areas, most of the land was under the direct surveillance from some 30 individual classrooms. This was even evident now as the path was mostly empty, save for a female and male center of the path about halfway down.

"Danny!" Tucker called out, his arms flailing in the air as a signal. His voice seemed clearer and deeper than Danny had remembered. Danny ran forward to greet his friends. As their bodies came into view, he was comforted by the fact that they had changed little. Tucker was still the nerdy, mocha skinned teen that he had remembered. While certainly not fat, he had begun to develop a bit of a small belly, mostly from spending all his time in front of a computer or behind a gaming controller. He stood taller though than last year, and noticeably lankier. He was beginning to look like his father more and more; he was even sporting the matching goatee, which for a kid his age was well defined that his dad wore.

Danny leaned in and gave Tucker a tight hug while to his left stood Sam Manson, a better definition of a sister than Jazz ever was. Her demeanor was almost a complete turnaround from her old self, she was smiling wide. While her clothing hadn't changed much from her usual tones of black and navy, she had turned in her mall purchased chained jeans for a more modern look. Thick, black faux leather boots seemed to crawl all the way to her knee, while above that a black dress finished the look. Her ivory figure had never looked better, even Danny could admire her stunning figure. Her hair, while still dyed was silky smooth and seemed to glisten in the morning sun. Sam had grown up, out and was quite a beautiful young woman.

After breaking the embrace with Tucker, he turned his target to Sam and received a welcomed hug. "'I've missed you." She struggled, most of her strength going into the hug.

"I've really, REALLY missed you both" He replied. He stepped back and took his first real look at his friends.

"Sam… you look, uh," Danny struggled, his voice cracking a bit as he struggled to find the right words. "You look really…"

"Hot?"

"Yeah, that. Holy shit, when did you start dressing like… that" Danny said, doing his best to keep his eyes from drifting down away from her face, however, he was losing the battle, and same was beginning to notice.

"Ahem," She started, drawing Danny's attention back skyward. "I just looked in my closet and decided it was time for a change."

"You learn that at your Jesus camp?" Tucker chimed in snidely.

"I was there as a chaperone. My mother got the gig for me, and it gets me out of my volunteer credits for the year. Which, by the way… Danny give me your schedule." Danny reached into his sling pack and fished out a pink slip of paper. Tucker was quick to snatch the document from his hands. He gave a quick scan before reading aloud in a faux scholarly tone.

"World History, Civics, Genetics, Advanced Astronomy, Pre-cal, lunch B, Animal Behavior and Team Sports" Tucker and Sam both turned to stare at their friend, who could only give back a slight grin.

"Advanced astronomy and genetics? Aren't those college credit courses?" Tucker asked.

"Astronomy is. And Danny! You and I have genetics together. " Sam replied. "Guys, we're going to be late for orientation, but we all have "B" lunch right?" Both nodded. "Alright, lets get to the auditorium and get good seats."

Danny led the way down the long path back to the entrance of the school, regaling the pair with tales of his eventful summer.


	4. Team Player

I saw the Ocean

"Welcome ladies, to Team Sports. " Coach White's voice echoed through the empty gym. Soft yellow dome lights above provided false lighting against the manila toned arena. Coach stood in front of him almost as though he were typecasted for this profession. A burley man, Coach White stood a generous six foot, six inches tall and carried a hefty 260 pounds. Thick, brown hairs escaped the collar of red and black polo, while hairs seemed to merely be escaping the top of his head.

Danny sat along the wall with the rest of his team sports class. He was more tired than he though he would be, and it cleared showed in his body language. He clenched his sling pack close , using it as forward support as he strained to pay attention to his instructor. It was proving more and more difficult as the only thoughts filling his head were the syllabi and text books bursting the seams of his pack.

Around him, the class of 20 appeared more attentive. Among them were many faces new to Danny. Mostly males, only two females, all appeared to be in decent shape, leading him to believe that this was going to be a physically demanding class, not the fluffy, easy "A" he had hoped for. Among those in class was most of the jock caste of males from the Casper high football team. Wide receiver and backup quarterback Kwan, and starting quarterback, and former bully, Dash Baxter. Dash and Kwan sat at the end of the row of bodies, trading quips back and forth as the teacher spoke.

Danny had had some standing history with Dash Baxter.

Dash, Kwan and most of the staring line of the football team had been part of Danny's life, whether he had liked it or not. Since freshman year, Dash in particular had seemed bent on making Danny as miserable as possible. Although Dash seemed to make a point of never being physical, the venom that spewed from their mouths more than filled the void. Dash was hardly the instigator, more the aggressor, using his intimidating figure to send Danny info a cowered stance with the sound of his insults. However, when Danny was outed, it stopped, as suddenly as it had started, at least from Dash's end. Kwan and certain others seemed to feed off of it, using it as an excuse to start confrontations.

Dash had grown considerably over the summer, seeming to shoot up another six inches. Danny figured he was standing at least six and half feet. His body was more toned as he slid into adulthood. Danny hadn't noticed in world history before as Dash was seated, however, standing, Dash stood as a status symbol. His cornflower hair was trimmed short and styled conservatively, a crew cut of sorts while he sported a clear brown haired goatee, his Scottish heritage showing through. His upper body was firm and taught, his biceps and pectoral muscles drawing clear-penciled lines in his thin white t-shirt. Dash's legs flowed from his basketball shorts, culminating into sharp, rock hard calf muscles. Danny found himself staring. Danny shook the though away as he found himself lusting after the young man, although the feelings amplified as Dash lifted his arms and he caught a clearer view of his underarms and toned chest.

"For nine weeks, " the coach bellowed. "You will experience many games and sports that are new to most of you. Dodgeball, field hockey, baseball and the like. Every second Friday will be spent in the weight training room. This is a senior only class and likewise, every one of you is expected to give 110 percent. Do this, and you will get an A in this class, I promise." Coach white's speech was being interrupted by the inane chatter taking place. He raised his voice and added aggression to compensate. "And I will not take any crap from any of you!" The group quickly fell silent. "You are all adults now and I don't care what you did over the weekend and who you did it with. You are here to get in shape and compete. I also don't care who does and doesn't like who. This is TEAM sports folks! You will get along and work as such! If any of you have with this you will spend the day running laps and doing pushups, do I make my self clear?"

The room remained silent before a quiet reply of "Yes sir!" was muttered in unison.

Several thoughts competed in Danny's mind for precedence. He couldn't imagine a full class load, a demanding class such as this and his job. Soon he would be retaking two of his college entrance exams and getting ready to plan the next phase of his life. However, a more primal, simplistic emotion was running through the young man's brain, and that was one of lust. Danny was both thankful and sorry that this class was at the end of the day and an after work out shower wasn't mandatory. However, this class was being seen in a positive light as one that could assist in keeping his body in top form.

"Locker assignments!" The coach hollered. All the students rose to their feet and walked in a single file line to a small bench at the opposite end of the gymnasium to retrieve a small sheet of paper. Danny slowly followed suit, staring around at the faces in the room. Save for Dash and Kwan, he didn't recognize anyone in there. Although he certainly wasn't there to make friends, the thought of going through this alone wasn't one he was looking forward to. Quicker than he realized he was next to get his number.

"42" it read, a combination for the lock was listed on the back. Danny folded the slip and placed it in his pocket as he turned away to return to his seat. Most of the other students had split into their little cliques and bunches while the remaining students awaited their assignments. Danny sat and rifled through his backpack, which had now gained around twenty pounds of extra weight. He fished his gym clothes from the bottom, a white t shirt, clean boxers and black and green nylon basketball shorts. He made a mental note to bring a fresh stick of deodorant to keep in his locker, especially during the summer months.

As the last of the students were given combinations to their lockers the coach called for the students to assemble at the center of the gym. Danny was already close enough to center that he could get away with not moving much. He remained seated as others around him moved in closer.

"Ok, take five and get your stuff in your lockers and test out the locks. Then be back here and we'll burn this last thirty minutes with some hoops or something." Coach said, noticeably more casual than before. The students broke away, the few girls heading to the far side of the gym to their lockers, while the gentleman slipped away into theirs.

Danny stepped into the dimly lit concrete room, a rush of humidity accented by cleaning solution hit his body. The dark blue hues created by the cheap stone walls and cold concrete flood dominated the hall. The hall carried with it an eerie sense of seclusion, a feeling that many things can happen in this place without any authority figure being none the wiser. Danny followed the numbered lockers until he came to his, two in from the center isle. He sat his bag down on the single, narrow wooden bench that ran the length of the center aisle of lockers. His lock opened with little effort. Danny placed his clothes in his empty locker and secured it as the noise of chatter was becoming ever closer and familiar.

"Sixty six," Danny could hear. "Fifty six." Kwan Huang turned the corner, Dash Baxter closely in tow. Kwan paused and glared daggers at the young teen standing there. While three years of heavy kombat, acrobatics and training had transformed Danny's physique, his human body was no match in a fight against an eighteen year old two hundred pound wide receiver and backup safety. Danny could only try to stand his ground and appear as intimidating as possible. Kwan turned around with a loud frump and fiddled with his locker. Almost without any effort he opened his lock and stared filling his locker with belongings, clothes, cologne, deodorant and the like.

"All the fucking lockers in this place and you're in this row huh?" Kwan said, beginning to place his football supplies into place.

"I don't see myself going anywhere." Danny replied.

"Yeah?" Kwan snapped. He slammed his locker and brought his head closer to Danny's. " Well I better not 'see' you catching a peek down there you fucking faggot." Danny didn't blink, nor did he show any emotion towards his aggressor. Danny had been out at school since the semester break of his junior year. A lone post to someone's social network led to two months of constant threats of violence and unwanted intrusion of unknown adults. Being a superhero made him strong, the mouths of others made his demeanor more and more sinister.

Danny pulled in closer to Kwan's face, almost to the point where one may have mistook it for an invitation to kiss. Danny kept his eyes locked on his while he spoke his next words in a soft, harsh whisper. "Judging by those slanted eyes and that last name of yours, I doubt there's much down there a faggot would want."

As the words escaped Danny's mouth, Kwan's eyes seemed to turn a vicious red. Kwan lunged forward, using every ounce of his strength he thrust his forearm crashing into Danny's chest. Danny gave a sharp yelp as his body went slamming back into the cheap aluminum of the lockers behind him. Danny struggled against the giant as Kwan moved his arm up Danny's chest and against his throat. Kwan used his firm calves to gain leverage against Danny by holding himself against the center oak bench. Danny struggled and spat as Kwan continued to apply pressure, cutting off what little channel of air remained connected to his lungs. The commotion of the fight had attracted the attention of the others in the room who were beginning to form a crescent around the battle.

"What else are you gonna say, bitch!" Kwan yelled, seeming to draw from the cheers and shouts of the crowd among him. Dash had finally arrived to see himself the situation just to hear Danny wince in pain as Kwan applied more force. Had Danny been able to turn his head, he would have seen the concern and fear in his doe like eyes as he let his veins fill with adrenaline.

"You want down, queer?" Kwan asked Danny. Danny's face was beginning to lose colour as his blood was being starved of life giving oxygen. Danny wriggled against his attacker as he contemplated a response to the situation. He knew that it mean pain, he knew that he wasn't in any position to be aggressive, however, standing down now meant that Kwan could get away with violence and intimidation for the rest of the year. Danny gathered what little strength he could and gave a hefty load of spit hurling towards Kwan's face. As the warm liquid splattered against his face, what few students remained filled the room with a loud gasp. Kwan loosened his hold against the teen's body. With an angered shout, Kwan lunged a closed fist barreling towards Danny's face. Had it not been for Danny's reflexes, he surely would have continued the day with a broken nose. Danny lowered his head as Kwan's fist slammed into the aluminum with a sharp clang that echoed throughout the locker room. As he pulled it away, a deep indent in the metal clearly showed the force in which he intended to strike his target with.

Kwan reached for either side of Danny's thin polo and pulled him away from the locker. He slammed him back against it, as Danny used his new found freedom to begin an actual struggle. Dash had continued to stare from afar, however, he had clear visions of this fight escalating to the point that someone was going to be hurt severely. He pushed away the kid in front of him to rush to Kwan's side. As Kwan was starting to reel back for a second blow, Dash lurched forward and grabbed his arm.

"Kwan… Kwan!" He shouted, using both of his arms to hold Kwan back. Danny felt Kwan loosen him grip as his body went completely limp. He compensated and almost fell forward as he regained his balance. Both teens stared at Dash, in awe of his sudden insertion into the confrontation; however, Kwan's gaze was far more sinister. "It's not worth it man. C'mon… just calm down." He said, patting Kwan on the back, pulling him away from Danny.

Kwan was shaking with anger. He closed his eyes and fiercely pointed at Danny's nose.

"You better thank Dash. Go on." He said sharply. As Danny was trying his best to calm his nerves and fight nausea as loads of adrenaline flooded from his body, he could only muster one response.

"Fuck, you."

Kwan stared daggers at Danny as he was led away by his teammate. As the two were leaving, Dash turned slightly over his shoulder to give a final look at Danny. His large, lavender eyes faded into the halls as the remaining boys returned to the gym to finish out the rest of their class playing basketball. Danny however, would find solace alone in the locker room wondering how he got back to this point. He had been sure that he could find one more place where his birthright wouldn't add a target to his back, however he wasn't safe anywhere, not in town, not at home, and now… not here.

Since two o clock that afternoon, Danny had been praying that his house would be empty. Then he could just go home and relax, which, after a day like today meant indulging in some illegal substances. He didn't care that he worked in three hours, he just needed to travel to a world far away from this one.

As he left the principal's office he quickly made his way back to the senior lot and to his waiting car. Most of the other seniors had already left, enjoying the shorter schedules they had most likely signed up for. Danny signed as he slowly made his way down the stone steps of his school, his sling pack lazily slung over his left shoulder. He fumbled for his keys as he got closer to his waiting chariot, however, with it came into view an unwelcome face.

"Jesus Christ, what now?" He asked aloud. Dash had taken perch against the fence, sitting on the curb of the lot a mere few stalls from Danny's car. With an almost, dog like demeanor, as Danny came into view, he seemed to come to life. He sprung to his feet and walked briskly towards Danny, who had just stopped in his tracks.

"Hey?" He called out as he left the lot to meet Danny, standing blankly at the edge of the lot. "You got a sec?"

"What do you want, Dash" Danny said with a hearty sigh.

Dash stood slightly taller than Danny and contained much more body mass. However, Dash's body language was that of a child who had just snuck a treat before dinner. He ran his hands through his hair as he looked down at Danny's blue pools. He began to trip over his words as though something else were on his mind.

"Hey, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that I didn't stop him sooner… and I uh, hope you're ok."

Danny rolled his eyes and began to walk towards his car. "Well, that's very noble of you. I'm going home, now."

"Hey," Dash said, catching Danny's attention. He turned around to find Dash standing, trying to piece together a sentence. "You're not switching classes are you?"

"Why the hell do you care?" Danny said, whipping his body around full circle.

"Well… because, I guess." Dash said quietly. Danny stared dash down, unsure what to make of the awkwardness of the situation.

"I already checked. I ten gym credits and there's no other classes this semester with room, so I'm stuck. " Danny continued on to his auto. Reaching his door, he reached down and unlocked it. He flipped from over his shoulder and threw it on his passenger seat. As he was getting into the car, he noticed Dash, standing as he was, mere feet away from him. Danny stood back out and decided to get the last word. "And I didn't narc on your friend if that's what you're doing here. So just cut the touchy shit and stay away from me, okay?"

Dash appeared more hurt from the comment than intimidated. He lowered his head further and walked to Danny's car. He stopped a comfortable distance from Danny and placed his hands into his jean pockets. "Actually," he started. "I wanted to know if you wanted to hang out sometime… Saturday maybe… maybe."

Danny was clearly having a difficult time piecing together what was just proposed to him. "Really? " Danny said sarcastically. "Why that would just make my day!" He continued. He shot dash a harsh scowl as he finally closed the door to his car. He turned the key and brought the engine to life. As he drove away to finish the rest of his day, Dash remained standing.

He knew it wouldn't' have gone that smoothly. He would have been disappointed if it had, actually. Dash Baxter hadn't exactly been Danny Fenton's best friend throughout the years, so an acceptance to his offer wouldn't be the immediate answer, but when he saw what Kwan had done to him earlier, and the passion and hate in which he did it, he was forced to act. As Dash left the lot to fetch his own car, he though back to earlier when he had paused to turn and catch one last look at Danny, he remembered those deep blue eyes. Those eyes that looked as though they could have broken down and cried at any second. Suddenly though, he realized that that wasn't the only face he saw in that gym, it was his own.


	5. Tri Tale Stalker

I saw the Ocean

"Have you ever read this book?"

This was the twenty fourth time that Danny had been asked that very same question in this particular eight hour shift, and the answer was always the same.

"Not this one." Danny said as cheerfully as possible. The older man seemed taken aback. His aging face contorted into glee as he finally had an opportunity to share his ideology with a complete stranger.

"You really should check it out Son! He's one hell of a writer and he knows the truth about the people who want to wreck this country!" Danny could tell the man was quite passionate about his subject and wanted nothing more than an ear to share the excitement of AM talk radio with. However, at ten minutes until closing time on a Saturday night, Danny wanted nothing more than to hear the sound of several tumblers controlling a lock

"Birch Barlowe really isn't my thing." He replied, pondering why pierced ears and purple tipped spiked hair wasn't at least a slight indicator that far right conservative talk radio wasn't his thing.

"Birch Barlowe should be required reading for every man, woman and child in the country. The three 'B's' my boy, Barlow, Bible and Beck and this whole country would be a lot better off. " Normally, Danny would feel inclined to stand his ground and humor the patron with a bit of friendly back and forth. However, his top priority that night was getting out of the building as soon as possible.

"I hear that!." Danny said emphatically, knowing the easiest way to shut someone up was to simply agree with them. "Due in three weeks buddy." The patron smiled wide and grabbed his book and took his exit, his head held high that there were other like minded people like him in the world.

The pressing week of classes had clearly taken a toll on the young man. His bright ivory face shown clear signs of stress, his bright blue eyes were framed with light purple and gray shading underneath them. His jet black hair, normally carefully shaped and styled, clearly was put together in a rush, to the point in which that he should've been wearing a hat. Danny's body movements showed signs of lethargy as he took to the start of his closing duties, each step seemed to require more and more strength.

He took note of the silence throughout the building. The rotunda had long been empty and the last few stragglers were beginning to shuffle out of the computer lab. The normal light whir of voices and clicking keys was replaced by the soft hum of fluorescent lights and a lone television in the common area. Danny caught glimpse of the large clock positioned above the front door, taking joy in the fact that it was finally closing time.

If people were good at one thing it was making a mess, there were loose and abandoned books all over the building. From the latest vampire fan fiction smut in the study section, to the comic books strewn about the computer lab, the entire place was a mess.

"I really don't want to deal with this shit right now." Danny said aloud, his arms already full of books. There was still trash to be picked up, monies to be counted and doors to be locked. "I'm not getting out of here until nine, am I?" He asked aloud. Reasoning that he could get away with placing the abandoned tomes in the return bin for the morning team to sort out, he dumped his haul at the front desk to complete his duties. After emptying his hands he returned his phone to be rewarded with good news. It was time to lock the doors for the evening, and Sam had made a second attempt to contact him.

"What are u up to tonight?" She asked.

Striding back from the door he slipped off his sandals by his chair, his bare feet enjoying the cool tile underneath him. "Just trying to get out of here. What are you doing?" A reply was quick to arrive.

"Good luck, lol. Tuck and I are going to a movie, you down.?"

"You know, its been a bit of a long week. I don't think I'd be good company tonight." "I think I'm going to sit down with some fire and just chill." That idea that had just crawled into his head was one that excited him a great deal. He had just purchased a good amount to get him through the rest of the month, and he knew that by the time he was going to indulge, he would be able to safely open his window and enjoy the rest of his night. He smiled wide as he continued forming the itinerary for the night as he finished the rest of his work.

His pack slung over his shoulder, Danny strolled across the empty parking lot to his waiting auto, a small skip in his step as he looked forward towards the night ahead. The air was thick with humidity as the hot summer air seemed unmoved by the fact that it was nine in the evening. Twilight was fading fast as the sun was sinking slowly onto the deep lavender horizon, while the half moon above added to the ambiance of a picturesque summer evening. The skyline amongst the tree line was buzzing with wildlife Birds and bugs alike cried to the sky, seeking a mate to spend a weekend with. Even with the light hum of the city a half mile away, one could still experience the clean country atmosphere that were enjoyed by so many who didn't have to compete with the rat race and horrors of a growing city. He could feel something though. Something was not as it normally was. This was part of his territory, and he new it inside and out, and he could feel something was wrong. Danny was devoured by a wave of uncertainty as he could feel the presence of another human.

"Nice night, huh?" Came a familiar, yet unwelcome voice from behind him. Danny's body tensed up as he struggled to move. It was as if the concrete beneath his feet was suddenly replaced with mud. Instinctively, Danny reached and held his backpack tight, not knowing what potential dangers would follow.

"I said it's a nice night, Danny." He heard footsteps. The voice however, was much friendlier than before.

"What the sweet hell are you doing here? Better question is how did you know where I work and when I got off." Danny asked, his voice as assertive as he could manage, unable to shake a slight quiver that came with the tenseness of the situation. Danny searched around, expecting to find more than one person. Yet, there was only one, Dash Baxter.

"I've seen you here before when I've needed to get a book or study. And I didn't 'know' when you got off. You were here when I drove by, so I assumed you worked til close." He replied. His voice didn't carry its normal sarcastic undertone. His body language showed as well that he seemed to not be himself. His stance was far less ridged and proud than it normally was. He was far from smiling, more of a scared smirk reminiscent of a scolded child. While Danny could feel his own eyes squint into a harsh stare, Dash was refusing to make eye contact, staring off into the hazy purple sky beyond and into the horizon. Dash seemed vulnerable, almost scared. He appeared as though he were running from something, and seeking comfort.

Demeanor aside, his appearance also showed a different side of the boy. Gone was his letter jacket and ripped blue jeans, replaced with a tight fitting red and white striped polo shirt. The cotton clung to his thin white t-shirt below, leading both to cling to his chest, showing much of the sculpting and detail that came with three solid years of exercise and contact sports. His well defined calves were displayed in the denim shorts he sported. Even his hair had changed appearance, cut short and styled for the impending summer heat. Danny loosened up slightly, after actually taking a good look at him, he was taken aback by the change in appearance of his classmate.

"Yeah…" He started, " That's all well and good, but you still haven't told me what the fuck you're doing here." Dash appeared to have had himself prepared for Danny's hostile attitude.

"I asked you if you wanted to do anything tonight… And I never really got a straight answer."

"Yeah… you know what, actually you _did_ get a straight answer. I believe I told you to go to hell. So now I'm going to go home and light up, good night." Danny replied as he began to turn back towards the parking lot.

"You know what man, I know Kwan was being a dick and I know I wasn't helping. You can humble me at least a little because I'm just trying to make this right." Dash shouted. Danny stopped in his tracks. Against his better judgment he calmly set his pack down on the hot pavement below and began to storm back to where he once stood.

"No, Kwan wasn't just 'being' a dick. His is a dick! And you are too man, a big one! You've been a dick for three years and probably longer than that. And suddenly you wanna be my friend and take me out on what? This?! What, are you asking me out on a fucking date? C'mon, man." Where the sudden rush of bravery had come from, Danny didn't know, but he sure didn't like it. He wasn't one to become confrontational and he knew that if he said the wrong thing and A fight were to start, his human body would surly prove to be the weaker of the two.

Dash took a large step back to provide distance between their bodies, so far so he was almost pressed against the back door of the building. He took a single deep breath and attempted to brush off those last comments.

"I know that I haven't been the best person to you or your friends but…"

"Stop right there!" Danny shouted hands extended flat infront of his body. He took a few steps forward and tilted his head to stare the one foot gap into Dash's eyes. "I don't believe you for one second. I don't know what your motive is or what's going one, but I don't think for one second that you give a tinkers damn about me or my friends, or at the very least that you're 'sorry'"

"Can I finish, Danny?" He said softly, taking a small step forward. His voice was soothing. It was low and deep. The kind of voice that carried with it passion, or at least determination. "Yeah, I've been a shitty person. I'll admit it. I saw Kwan becoming a shitty person too, and I wanted to stop it right then. I saw how childish and embarrassing it was and knew I needed to make things right with you. That's part of what I'm trying to do, is just make things right. That is part of what this is all about… I want try to be your friend."

"And the other part?" Danny snapped, seemingly unmoved by what was taking place.

"I know you don't believe me… but I'm really trying to apologize to you. Sincerely. That's the first step."

"The first step to what?! You're talking like a fucking maniac with some grand plan to finally capture James Bond. What are you in AA now and you're making amends?" Danny shouted., throwing his arms up in frustration. The emotions, both good and bad were starting to boil forward and into his eyes. He could feel the pressure building behind him as he could remember when he was outed in school. Dash never seemed to start the teasing, but he would always join in. Each time Kwan called him a "faggot", or shoved him in the hallway and called him " queer." He was slowly coming to the conclusion that this was more about Kwan than it was about Dash.

"You don't have to yell. I'm just trying to tell you that I'm sorry for everything lately. The teasing and name-calling that I took part in… and the ones that I didn't stop. I'm sorry, and I hope we can get to know each other a little better and maybe become friends."

"We're not five anymore, Dash. You don't call me four eyes on the playground and the next day expect me to pick you in the kick ball game." Danny replied.

"People are capable of change you know, Dan" Dash started. "People can grow up and want to better themselves. People don't stay the same for 18 years."

"Fine! I forgive you." Danny said sarcastically. "You're absolved, just leave me alone." Dash appeared distraught, even sad. However he appeared even more determined.

"So… What are you doing tonight?" Dash asked, swaying back and forth slightly. He put his hands in his jacket pockets as he trained his eyes toward the blackening sky. Danny appeared taken back. He was having issues computing what was in front of him. Dash appeared different somehow, genuinely changed. There was a part of his brain screaming, "This is a huge joke!" as though he was certain that Kwan and company were waiting in the wings with a camcorder, waiting for the opportunity to spring forth and yell "Gotcha!" However, there was something else. Danny could feel something changing. He was vulnerable, and confused. Dash had looked better than he'd ever seen him. Through his shirt he could see every sculpt and line on his chest. His cornflower was not its usual styled self, it was unkempt stylish. And even through the darkening sky his baby blue eyes shone like sapphire. Dash wasn't that bully that roamed the halls and acted like a frat boy in training, he was the new kid in town and seemed like he was playing the field. He was almost cute.

"Me." Danny replied sharply. "I'm getting lit, eating a pig plate of pancakes and then playing Gears all night. Why do you care?" Dash brought his eyes back towards earth and stared back at Danny. His eyes were distant and glassy, almost as if there had been more light, Danny would have been able to see right through them. Dash started forward and took in a calculated and shaky breath as he readied his next question.

"That chainsaw movie starts in 30 minutes over in Townsville. If we leave now we could make it in time for the trailers. It'd be my treat." Danny stood in amazement. He paused and stuttered for a bit before piecing together an answer.

"You want to drive a half hour to Townsville to see a two hour horror movie at 9:00 at night. You want to do all of this with a person who just two weeks ago you referred to as, 'Glory Hole Gladys', not even quite sure what that even means, really. Also, this isn't something that two dudes go and do together, you know. Go on a long drive, see a scary horror movie together. "

"Look, do you want to go or not? The movie's downtown but we missed that showing and they have the closest theatre." Dash asked, becoming visibly frustrated, yet keeping his tone in check. That however, was Danny's out. If he was looking for a chance to say no and walk away… that was the easiest chance he was going to get.

Danny shrugged and slung his pack around his shoulder. "I swear to God if you are jerking me around I'll break your jaw. I mean that. I'm giving you a chance here. If this is some bs attempt to embarrass me like we're all fourteen again or you're going to kick my ass and try and rob me, you better tell me right now because I'll find a way to get back at you."

Dash became visibly happier even after such a harsh threat. His eyes grew wide and his face twisted into a relieved smirk. He let out a relieved sigh. "Cool. I'll drive if your job is ok with you leaving your car here for a couple of hours. Your parents aren't going to be pissed are they?"

"I'm texting them now…" Danny started as he began the walk without Dash to his idle auto. Dash wasn't far behind as he trotted to the drivers seat. "Dash?" Danny asked, as his car door was unlocked. "Don't make me regret this." He said sternly.

"Don't worry. I don't intend to." Dash replied. He brought his car to life and turned towards the highway, a passenger in tow, both ready to venture deep into risky and unknown territory.


End file.
